CHAPTER 38: I’M AT HER DIPOSAL

Author’s POV

Seraphina had spent most of her life being pushed down. She had learned to stay quiet, but never when it came to the people she cared about. She could take any insult for herself, but not for the people she loved and cared for.

What she hadn’t fully realized until now was that Lucien had become one of those people, slowly and quietly. He had slipped into that part of her heart without making a sound.

"If you have something to say, then say it to me!" Seraphina said sharply, her voice filled with suppressed anger. "This person has nothing to do with you. And you don’t even have the right to speak about him!"

Her hands were clenched at her sides, her whole body tense as she held back everything she really wanted to scream.

In the past, she would have stayed silent, wanting to speak but unable to speak in time and people never waited for her explanation. They just said whatever they wanted and moved on, leaving her standing there with all the things she couldn’t say.

But now... time had changed

This time, she wasn’t that autistic girl anymore. She didn’t care what anyone thought right now. Because someone had crossed the line with Lucien.

"Why? Does the truth make your skin crawl?" Lia sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. "You think I don’t know what kind of person you are?"

Lia just didn’t know when to stop and went on rambling nonsense as she pleased.

"Who doesn’t know you’ve been trying to seduce the Lancaster brothers? What a cheap, pathetic—"

Pak.

The sound of the slap echoed throughout the mall, making people jolt in shock.

Seraphina’s hand stung, but she didn’t care. Her body trembled with rage, her chest heaving as she stared at the girl in front of her. Lia’s face was frozen in shock, her hand slowly moving to her burning cheek.

"That’s enough," Seraphina said, her voice shaking from fury. "They’re my brothers. And I won’t let anyone talk about them like that."

She didn’t care who was watching. She didn’t care what people would say. All she knew was that Lia had crossed a line.

"Brothers, you say?" Lia’s voice cracked as her rage spiraled, as she went almost crazy. She hadn’t expected Seraphina to slap her, especially not in front of such a big crowd.

The sting on her cheek was nothing compared to the fire of humiliation burning inside her now.

She turned sharply toward the managers she had called earlier, her eyes wide with fury.

"What are you waiting for? Kick this shameless woman out!" she screamed, unable to control herself anymore.

On the other side, Lucien stood with his arms folded, quietly watching the chaos unfold in front of him, with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

He was on cloud nine for no reason when he saw a timid and tiny woman standing up for him.

But what really shocked him was that she actually slapped Lia.

Lucien hadn’t expected it. And for a second, he just stood there, stunned and amused.

There was something wild, untamed in her that had just peeked out. And it made him want to see more.

Too bad his fun was cut short by the staff managers stepping in like fools, trying to play heroes for that pathetic woman, acting all high and mighty.

He sighed.

They always had to ruin the best part.

"Enough," Lucien said, his voice calm but laced with danger.

The entire place went silent.

"Anyone who lays a hand on her will lose their limbs," he added coldly, his words slicing through the tension like a blade.

Then, without warning, he stepped forward and pulled Seraphina into his arms.

"My woman doesn’t need a sugar daddy," he said with a twisted smile, his eyes never leaving Sera’s. "She has me at her disposal, anytime she wants."

Then he turned toward Lia and the staff managers as his gaze hardened.

"And as for the rest of you... You’re free to leave this place. I don’t keep filth like you in my employment.

Seraphina stood frozen in his arms. She was stunned not just by how effortlessly he’d pulled her close, but by the words he’d said. My woman.

Her heart skipped a beat in confusion and shock. It seemed he hadn’t said it casually but had made a statement.

"And who are you to decide whether we work here or not?" one of the staff managers scoffed, stepping forward with false bravado. "I’ve seen people like you... full of themselves, flashing money around, thinking the world should kneel. You don’t even know when to shut your mouth."

Lucien didn’t even glance at him.

His eyes were fixed on Lia, as if the rest of the surrounding had faded into nothing. He was still.

Because while the manager was busy barking empty words, Lucien was already deciding Lia’s fate in his mind.

As for the employees?

He didn’t need to argue with them. He had no interest in wasting time on nobodies who thought they were untouchable. With a single call, he could blacklist them and would make sure none of them ever worked in the industry again.

He didn’t make threats. He simply made things happen.

"Boss! What are you doing here?"

Lucien was still deep in thought when a voice broke through the tension. A man in a sharp royal blue tuxedo jogged up to him, completely unaware of the situation he was walking into.

"Damn, dude, if you were coming here, you could’ve given me a heads-up," Joseph said casually, brushing a hand through his hair. But the moment his eyes landed on the girl in Lucien’s arms, he paused. "Wait... who is she?" He raised a brow. "You don’t do flings, so is she—"

He kept talking, oblivious to the scene that was unfolding.

Lucien said nothing.

Joseph glanced around, frowning as he got the gist of the situation. He noticed the way everyone stood frozen, the way Lia looked like she’d swallowed her own tongue, and how a few of the staff were edging away nervously. A crowd had gathered, watching in hushed silence.

"Okay... what the hell happened here?" Joseph muttered, his tone shifting. "Why does it feel like I just walked into a crime scene?"

Now, even he could tell something had gone very, very wrong.

"Some people here are telling me I’m just a flashy brat who is out to show off my money and power... while insulting the girl I’ve fallen for," Lucien said coolly, like it was just another business report.

Joseph froze. "What did you just say?"

"I said," Lucien repeated as he glared at him, "they’re insulting your boss."

"No, not that—at the end!" Joseph’s voice shot up. "Did you just say you’ve fallen for a woman? Like... for real?"

Lucien gave a single nod, calmly.

Joseph blinked. "Holy shit. That’s it. This calls for a celebration. I’m giving a fifty percent discount to everyone in the building—"

"No," Lucien cut in, tightening his grip on Seraphina’s hand. "They don’t deserve to be part of my celebration."

Seraphina was still in a daze, trying to process what was happening, but Lucien gently raised her hand, showing her reddened palm. "Look at what they made her do. Her hand’s all red."

Joseph blinked in confusion. "Wait—what?"

His gaze followed Lucien’s eyes... then landed on Lia’s face.

Her cheeks were red, and swollen.

Joseph let out a sharp laugh, then quickly covered his mouth.

"Oh damn... now I get it," he muttered, struggling to hold back another chuckle. "She actually slapped someone!"

Lucien didn’t reply, but the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth said enough.

"Whatever," Joseph muttered, rolling up his sleeves slightly. "I’ll just have someone throw out these pests for you."

"I don’t like that," Lucien shot, his jaw clenched. "I want you to give this entire mall to my love as an apology."

Joseph froze. "Excuse me?" he coughed, nearly choking on his own breath.

He stared at Lucien, trying to figure out if this was some kind of twisted joke, but Lucien’s face was dead serious.

It wasn’t that Joseph couldn’t give it. If Lucien wanted something, he’d get it, and everyone knew that. But to give the whole damn mall to a woman?

Was he for real?

Since when had Lucien become so... irrational?

Joseph rubbed the back of his neck as he was stunned. "You’re seriously giving her the mall? Man, what happened to you?"

"I don’t care about that," Lucien said flatly, his voice dropping to a cold and unforgiving tone. "What I want... is for you to throw this woman out of the city. Out of the country, if possible."

He didn’t even look at Lia as he spoke.

"I don’t want to see her face ever again. His words weren’t loud, but they carried merciless edict.

Lia’s smug expression had already begun to crack, but now it shattered completely. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.

Joseph blinked, glancing between Lucien and the pale, trembling woman behind him.